are you feeling down?

Do find yourself having persistent sad or "empty" feelings or loss of interest in activities?

Do you experience five or more of the following signs of depression for most of the day, nearly every day? Has this been happening for more than a day or two?

Persistent sadness

Irritability

Hopelessness

Trouble sleeping

Low energy or fatigue

Feeling worthless or guilty for no reason

Loss of appetite or over-eating

Difficulty concentrating

Loss of interest in favorite activities

Are your moods affecting your ability to function at home, at work, or with family, friends, or colleagues?

While everyone has a "down" mood once in a while, you could be suffering from a more serious depression. Signs of depression should be taken seriously. Counseling may help you. Call for an appointment today.

You can reach us at 734-854-7061 or 517-486-4005 or email us today and get the support you need.

Most of us experience a blue mood now and then. Repeated frustrations, disappointment, worries over relationships, or even the dreary weather can sometimes result in a blah or blue mood. Fortunately, these moods pass by and we go about our normal routine.

But what if the mood doesn’t pass? Feeling blue, down, depressed, or unusually irritable for longer periods of time can be a sign of more serious depression. Depression is most often accompanied by one or more other symptoms such as difficulty falling or staying asleep, oversleeping, feeling edgy, guilty, hopeless, or unusually pessimistic. Withdrawing from things you used to enjoy or people you love can also be a sign. Some people even experience thoughts of death or suicide.

Professional counseling can help determine the nature of the depression and formulate a plan to address the underlying problems and help you start feeling like yourself again. Some people may also benefit from psychiatric care to determine the appropriateness of medication.

There are steps that you can take when you find yourself experiencing depression or even a blue mood. Avoid the tendency to withdraw by identifying one or two people you could spend some time with or perhaps some activity you could engage in that would be truly meaningful. Secondly, cut yourself some slack. Try to ease up on any unrealistic expectations for yourself and allow yourself some extra space or time to recover. Also, pay attention to your thought life. Jot down any negatives you hear yourself saying. For instance, some people tend to point out every failure they have ever made or to call themselves stupid. After jotting these down, try to analyze these objectively. Is this really true? Is there something more helpful or positive you could say to yourself?

Life is short, too short to allow depression to rob of you of personal happiness. If you or someone you know is struggling, call us today. We’d like the opportunity to help you work through it and feel your best.

You can reach us at 734-854-7061or 517-486-4005 or email us today to begin the process of feeling your best again.